K-State ranked No. 20 in AP preseason poll

Wildcats face No. 6 Auburn in third game

Kansas State players Jake Waters, left, and Daniel Sams competed all of last year for starting quarterback. Waters is the established winner, and said the team is looking to have a special season this year.

In the wake of last year’s struggles to start the season, the hot topic around Kansas State’s football camp has been getting off to a fast start.

The Wildcats face some early challenges, but expectations within the program are high, and they are well-founded. The outside perception is strong, as well, with K-State holding the No. 20 ranking in The Associated Press preseason poll released Sunday.

“We are really excited to get the season going and we are hoping for a special one,” Wildcats quarterback Jake Waters said.

K-State, coming off an 8-5 season in 2013, received 242 points in the AP poll for its second preseason ranking after coming in No. 21 in the Amway Coaches Poll.

Defending national champion Florida State was No. 1 in the AP poll with Alabama second, Oregon third and Oklahoma of the Big 12 fourth. The only other Big 12 team in the poll was No. 10 Baylor.

The Wildcats received votes in last year’s AP preseason poll, then lost their opening game to North Dakota State and limped to a 2-4 start. They were never able to crack the AP top 25 throughout the season, despite finishing strong by winning six of their final seven games.

K-State capped the 2013 campaign by winning its first bowl game since 2002, snapping a five-game postseason losing streak with a 31-14 victory over Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

“The Michigan game gave us a great springboard to off-season conditioning and realizing the potential of this team,” defensive end Ryan Mueller said. “The sky is the limit.”

K-State opens the season at home against Stephen F. Austin on Aug. 30. The Wildcats have an early Big 12 opener the following week at Iowa State before Auburn — last year’s national runner-up and ranked No. 6 in the AP poll — comes to Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Sept. 18.

“Coach Snyder is constantly stressing that we need to get off to a good start,” Mueller said. “We did not get off to a good start last season. That is the mindset this year, that we need to get off to a good start, because when you get off to a good start we can have great success whether that is in games or out here on the practice field.”